The Liberian Government has been issuing forceful statements against the investigative Danish journalist who obtained a Liberian diplomatic status as an Honorary Consul through bribery.
Mr. Mads Brugger had presented himself as a Danish Businessman "Mads Cortzen" with interest in becoming Liberia's Honorary Consul General in the Central African Republic.
But when he succeeded in obtaining the Honorary Consul's status through pecuniary means, he exposed the deal through the media in a documentary as material evidence to show the level of corruption within the Liberian government.
But instead of the Liberian government being forceful in bringing to book those officials who aided and abetted him in the scandal, the government denounced the Danish journalist and branded him as a "criminal" and a wanted man.
The government has made no secret of its intent to have Mr. Mads Brugger extradited to Liberia on criminal charges.
But hardly has there been any government pronouncements regarding those who aided and abetted the Danish Journalist, except for media reports in which high profiled names such as the ruling party chairman Verney Sherman and former Foreign Ministers Toga McIntosh and Olubanke King Akerele have been mentioned.
Other Liberians who have been mentioned in media reports include Mr. Wilfred Cooke, a very close friend of Cllr. Verney Sherman and Mr. Abraham Swaray.
What we know is that Cllr. Verney Sherman, the ruling party chairman has been quoted by the Nordic African News that he got involved in the deal to assist two Liberians whom Mr. Cortzen had promised success fees if he was given the Honorary Consul General status.
According to Cllr. Sherman, he was convinced that the deal would provide some financial opportunities for these two Liberians.
But when the then Foreign Minister Olubanke King Akerele became skeptical of the recommendation of Mr. Cortzen as Liberia Honorary Consul General, Mr. Cortzen became "overly assertive".
It was at this point that Cllr. Sherman was quoted as saying that in Mr. Cortzen's demand for results he (Sherman) took one of Mr. Cortzen's emails to be an insult.
Cllr. Sherman therefore said he terminated his relationship with Mr. Cortzen and returned the US$30,000.00 Mr. Cortzen had given him.
Cllr. Sherman said he issued a check for US$30,000 on account number 05-00-00882-6 on March 16, 2011.
From these narratives, one can conclude that Cllr. Sherman initially aided the process, and that had Mr. Cortzen not been "overly assertive," Cllr. Sherman would have continued aiding the process.
We are also informed that when Dr. Toga McIntosh succeeded Madam Olubanke King Akerele as Foreign Minister, Mr. Cortzen was given the Honorary Consul General's status.
The fact that Mr. Cortzen did not take up the assignment but rather revealed his actual identity and exposed the deal presupposes that his sole intent was to unearth corruption within the Liberian government.
We, therefore, expect that the Liberian authorities would muster the political will to go after those officials who were involved in the scandal and have them prosecuted.
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